The present invention generally relates to a system and method for removing water from a hydraulic fluid or oil. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method that receives a supply of hydraulic fluid and elevates the temperature of the hydraulic fluid above ambient to enhance the effectiveness of a dehydrator.
During the operation of machinery powered by pressurized hydraulic fluid, such as oil, water can mix with the hydraulic fluid from ambient humidity, seal leaks, condensation or other sources near the work equipment. It is widely recognized that the presence of water within the hydraulic fluid has a negative impact on the life of the oil, as well as components within the system. It is well known that corrosion, oil oxidization, chemical wear and tear, reduced bearing fatigue life and the loss of lubricity may result when water contamination enters a hydraulic system. These negative effects can be directly attributed to water present in free, emulsified or dissolved form.
Consequently, significant efforts have been made to remove water from oil in order to provide optimal performance of hydraulic systems. Presently available systems that remove water from hydraulic fluid oftentimes utilize a porous media dehydrator, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,725. This type of porous media dehydrator is sold by Porous Media under the product name UltiDri.
Although porous media dehydrators are well known, the porous media dehydrators suffer from several drawbacks due to the inherent characteristics of the dehydrator. Specifically, porous media dehydrators include a series of small tubes formed from a porous film that allow water to be removed from the hydraulic fluid passing through the dehydrator. Since the diameter of the tubes is small and defined, the amount of fluid that can flow through the dehydrator is directly related to the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid. Thus, the rate of water removal from the hydraulic fluid is dependent upon the flow rate of the fluid through the dehydrator, which in turn is dependent upon the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid.